Bruins stifle Tar Heels, head to CWS finals

June 21, 2013

Updated 12:28 p.m.

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UCLA's Brian Carroll (24), left, and Eric Filia (4) celebrate after scoring off a double hit by Pat Valaika (10) against North Carolina in the bottom of the seventh inning of the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., Friday. MATT MILLER, AP

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North Carolina starting pitcher Kent Emanuel delivers against UCLA in the first inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb. on Friday. NATI HARNIK, AP

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North Carolina's Cody Stubbs, right, leaps back to first base on a pickoff-attempt by UCLA first baseman Pat Gallagher, left, in the second inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday. FRANCIS GARDLER, AP

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UCLA's Pat Gallagher, left, is greeted by teammates including Pat Valaika (10) after scoring against North Carolina on a single by Cody Regis in the second inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday. ERIC FRANCIS, AP

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UCLA left fielder Brenton Allen (23) catches a fly ball hit by North Carolina's Parks Jordan as shortstop Pat Valaika (10) runs in the opposite direction in the third inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday. FRANCIS GARDLER, AP

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UCLA second baseman Cody Regis (18) throws to first for a double play after forcing out North Carolina's Cody Stubbs (25) in the fourth inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday. FRANCIS GARDLER, AP

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UCLA starting pitcher Grant Watson works against North Carolina in the first inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb. on Friday. NATI HARNIK, AP

UCLA's Brian Carroll (24), left, and Eric Filia (4) celebrate after scoring off a double hit by Pat Valaika (10) against North Carolina in the bottom of the seventh inning of the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., Friday.MATT MILLER, AP

OMAHA, NEB. – A UCLA team that spent much of the season in the shadow of Cal State Fullerton will finish it in the spotlight in Omaha.

The Bruins earned a spot in the College World Series championship final with Friday night's 4-1 victory over North Carolina in front of 25,947 at TD Ameritrade Park. The win completed a Bracket Two sweep for the Bruins (47-17), who have won all eight of their postseason games. They meet Mississippi State to open a best-of-3 series Monday.

Two of the victories came in the super regional against the Fullerton team that UCLA coach John Savage said probably kept his club from getting its due at times this season.

"Fullerton was the best team on the West from the first pitch to the last week of the season,'' Savage said. "Everybody knew it. That was a huge mountain for us to climb, but to our credit, we believed.

"We went to Fullerton, played Bruin baseball and came out of there with two wins. We're kind of a bottom-line team. With us, it's a fine line.''

The Bruins have shown that in Omaha. They've scored a total of eight runs in their wins over LSU, North Carolina State and North Carolina. That matches Eastern Michigan's total for the fewest runs in the metal-bat era for a team that won its first three games.

While UCLA's offense has been far from overpowering, its pitching and defense have. The Bruins have allowed just three runs while limiting opposing batters to a .179 average. The Bruins have made just one error in Omaha and five in the eight tournament wins.

Grant Watson, James Kaprielian (Beckman High), Zack Weiss (Northwood High) and David Berg combined to hold North Carolina, which led the nation in scoring, to one ninth-inning run.

The Tar Heels, who were hitting .300 and averaging 5.1 runs in their first 10 NCAA Tournament games, got just two runners to second base in the first eight innings. Only a burp by the normally dependable Berg kept the Bruins from handing North Carolina its second shutout of the season.

Watson (9-3), pitching for the first time since June 2, scattered four hits and struck out three in six innings.

"I was trying to go pitch by pitch and concentrate on hitting location,'' Watson said. "I knew North Carolina has a bunch of great hitters. I wasn't going to throw it by them, so I worried about location and mixing speeds.''

Kaprielian pitched the seventh after Watson allowed a single to lead off the inning. He stranded two runners by striking out Parks Jordan to end the inning.

Weiss pitched around a one-out single in the eighth, but things got interesting in the ninth for Berg. He gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs.

A forceout produced North Carolina's run, but Berg struck out Jordan for the second out. A walk reloaded the bases, but Berg finished off the Tar Heels by retiring Landon Lassiter on a fly to center.

"What we did in the ninth inning is just indicative of our kids and how we played all year,'' North Carolina coach Mike Fox said. "We fought until the very end, and I'm proud of all of them. Sorry to see our season come to an end, but I'm glad it ended here in Omaha, that's for sure.''

UCLA took a 1-0 lead off North Carolina ace Kent Emanuel in the second inning when Cody Regis bounced a two-out, RBI single into right. The Bruins added an unearned run in the sixth on Kevin Williams' run-scoring single.

Emanuel (11-5) had scuffled in his previous five tournament appearances, allowing 24 hits and 19 runs in 15 innings (11.40 ERA). He gave UCLA five hits and the two runs in six innings.

The Bruins added two runs in the seventh on a two-run double by Pat Valaika.

"I thought we had better at-bats tonight,'' Savage said. "We had a few more walks and we used the middle of the field better. I think we're capable all along. We've got good offensive players.

"They're just as good as any part of our game. I know that if you look at the score, you probably won't write it up that way, but there's a lot of faith and trust in our players. It was a great evening because it was our style of game.''

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